Anything But Perfect
by YanksLuver
Summary: Robin and Patrick spend an unconventional Thanksgiving together at the hospital.


**Title**: Anything But Perfect

**Author**: Steph PG

**Pairing**: Robin/Patrick

**Category**: Romance

**Disclaimer**: I do this out of a love for this couple. No infringement is intended.

**Spoilers**: Spoiler for upcoming week - (Wednesday, I believe)

**Summary**: Robin and Patrick spend an unconventional Thanksgiving together at the hospital.

**Note**: This is based on a spoiler for this week that says Robin and Patrick spend Thanksgiving together at the hospital. Scrubs has a lot to be thankful for, so this is what I would love to see happen! Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! Happy Thanksgiving! -Steph

**--- Anything But Perfect: Part 1/1 ---**

"Patrick, that is not how you peel a potato!" Robin yelled from her spot at the stove.

Patrick paused mid-peel and turned to look at her. "Excuse me? Are you telling me there is a right and a wrong way to peel a potato?"

Robin rolled her eyes and snapped, "Of course. And you're doing it completely wrong."

Patrick pointed the potato peeler at her. "Let me get this straight. I spend my days cutting into people's brains, but you think I can't handle peeling a potato? Is that about right?"

She nodded her head vigorously, as her breathing became ragged, "Precisely. Now just do it the way I showed you. Everyone's going to be here soon and we are really far behind and I don't have time to teach you-..."

Patrick put the potato peeler down and walked over to Robin. He placed his hands on her shoulders and met her gaze, effectively halting her ramble. "Take a deep breath."

"I don't have time to take-..."

Patrick clamped a hand over her mouth and repeated, "Take. A. Deep. Breath."

Robin looked up at him with wide eyes, as he removed his hand. She then inhaled deeply and slowly let it out.

Patrick crossed his arms over his chest. "You want to tell me why you're about to have a meltdown?"

Robin shook her head. "I'm not about to have a meltdown. I'm just busy and we're running behind."

"Robin, you thrive under pressure. You're usually able to remain calm. And that's when there's a life at stake, not a holiday feast. So you want to tell me what's going on?"

Robin lowered her eyes and then ran a hand down her face. "It's just...it's the first time I'm having Thanksgiving with both my parents since I was a teenager. And it's the first time you're having Thanksgiving with your dad in ten years. Not to mention it's our first Thanksgiving as a couple." She lifted her head up and met his eyes. "I guess I just want it to be perfect, that's all. Last year at this time, I felt completely alone even though I was back with my family here in Port Charles. I was pitying myself and feeling as if I had nothing to be thankful for." A smile pulled at her lips and tears popped into her eyes. "And now I can't even begin to count my blessings."

Patrick pulled her into his arms and looked into her eyes. "I feel the same way. But being together is all that matters. Things don't have to be perfect, Robin." His lips curled into a grin. "In fact, the best holiday dinners are the ones that are anything but perfect. When I was eight, my dog stole our turkey off the kitchen counter and buried it in the backyard. My entire family, all eighteen of us, went out to Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner. Best Thanksgiving of my childhood. And you want to know why?"

Robin smiled and nodded her head, "Why?"

"Because it's the only one that set itself apart from the others. All the rest are a blur. There was the food and the football and the old relatives falling asleep before dessert. But it's really only memorable when it's anything but perfect."

Robin let out a little chuckle and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You're pretty wise, you know that?"

He offered her a crooked smile. "Haven't I been telling you that since the moment we met?"

Robin laughed and then tilted her head up to meet his lips for a kiss. The kiss was just about to grow passionate when Patrick's cell phone rang, closely followed by Robin's.

They slowly parted, eyes still closed and foreheads touching.

Robin sighed. "I guess we're about to test your 'it's only memorable when it's anything but perfect' theory."

Patrick opened his eyes and met Robin's. "Turn off the oven and the burners. We'll call our family on the way."

---

Robin and Patrick pushed through the OR doors, as they pulled off their surgical masks.

Robin looked up at him. "Brilliant as always, Dr. Drake."

Patrick stopped walking and put his hands on his hips. "Well, I did my best. I can honestly say that's the first frying pan related head injury I've had to repair."

Robin tried to suppress her smile. "Well, his wife asked for grape tomatoes, not cherry tomatoes. Hitting him over the head with a frying pan seemed like a reasonable reaction to me."

Patrick laughed and shook his head. He then pursed his lips. "I guess dinner's ruined by now."

Robin let out a breath. "It is 9 o'clock. Plus, we still have to hang around to check on Mr. Rainer's progess post-op."

Patrick sighed. "I'm sorry about this. I know how much you wanted to spend Thanksgiving with our families."

Robin nodded. "We can delay it a day. At least we're together."

Patrick ran a hand through his hair. "So, what do you say? Cafeteria?"

"Closed an hour ago."

They were silent for a moment, until Patrick's eyes began to sparkle. "Meet me on the roof in fifteen minutes."

"The roof?" Robin said, her brow furrowing.

He nodded, as he pointed at her. "I'm going to make sure our first Thanksgiving together is nothing if not memorable."

He then flashed her a smile, gave her a quick kiss on the lips, and turned on his heel. Robin shook her head, her eyes twinkling with anticipation, as she watched him disappear from view.

---

Fifteen minutes later, Robin climbed the stairs to the roof. She slowly opened the door, a smile appearing on her lips the moment she laid eyes on him. He stood in the middle of the roof, next to a blanket that was covered with the most interesting Thanksgiving feast she had ever seen.

Robin chuckled as she came to stand in front of him. "What is all of this?"

Patrick gestured for her to sit down and then took his place across from her.

He then met her eyes. "This is Thanksgiving, vending machine style."

Robin let out a laugh that made Patrick smile from ear-to-ear.

She shook her head, "Please, tell me what you have prepared for us this evening."

Patrick waved his hand over the spread, "My pleasure." He then pointed at the first item. "Well, for our vegetable we have Fritos. You know, corn chips - just like the Pilgrims and Indians had."

Robin placed her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as he went on, holding up another item. "In lieu of stuffing, we have Chex Mix." He then picked up three small bags. "For our potato dish, I give you potato chips - with ridges, of course."

Robin smiled and raised her eyebrows. "Of course."

"And because variety is the spice of life I offer you not one, not two, but three flavors: regular, sour cream and onion, and cheddar and sour cream."

Robin placed a hand over her chest. "You spoil me."

"I told you it was only beginning." He paused and then picked up another item. "Because no Thanksgiving dinner is complete without something fruity and roll-shaped, I offer you strawberry Fruit Roll-ups in place of the classic cranberry sauce from the can." Patrick then paused dramatically and reached into the pockets of his scrubs. "Are you ready for the centerpiece of our gourmet meal? The food item that pulls it all together?"

Robin nodded, a permanent smile now upon her lips. "I'm waiting with baited breath."

Patrick pulled the item out his pocket with a flourish. Robin's eyes widened for a moment, then she said with a laugh, "Turkey Jerky!"

Patrick nodded. "I even got you your own package. That's two sticks. Nothing but the best for my girl."

Robin's laugh slowly faded as she met his eyes. She let out a contented sigh. "Thank you."

Patrick leaned forward and placed a kiss on her lips. He then pulled back and whispered, "No, thank you."

Robin's brow became knitted. "What are you thanking me for? You did all of this. I didn't do anything."

Patrick looked into her eyes, as he brought his hand up to cup her face. "Thank you for walking into my life." Robin's throat swelled with emotion and tears built up in her eyes, as he went on, "A year ago, I was celebrating Thanksgiving in my empty Manhattan apartment. Frozen turkey dinner. I didn't have anyone in my life who I cared about or who cared about me. I had only one thing to be thankful for and that was my career." He paused and took a deep breath. "One year later, I have a relationship with my father that I thought was impossible and I'm in love with the most beautiful, amazing woman I've ever met. Better yet, she's in love with me, too. And even though I am facing an uncertain future, I have never been happier or more thankful in my entire life. Robin, I have so much to be grateful for now and I have you to thank for it all."

Tears were now streaming down Robin's face. Patrick brought his lips to hers in a gentle kiss, smiling as he tasted the salt of her tears.

When they parted, Robin smiled and wiped at her cheeks with her fingertips. "We better eat before this wonderful meal gets cold."

Patrick handed Robin a bag of Fritos and a can of soda out of a smaller cooler he'd found.

They ate in a comfortable silence for a bit, until Robin broke it. "So, your mom always did Thanksgiving?"

Robin saw a flash of sadness in his eyes before he nodded. "Our family always did it. Everyone came over. Aunts, uncles, cousins. We usually had close to twenty guests. My mom loved it though." He paused, a smile spreading across his lips. "Well, you couldn't tell the days and hours leading up to it because she would always have a mini-meltdown, ranting about how she would never get everything done in time. Not unlike your meltdown of earlier. I told you that you two were alike."

Robin smiled, always enjoying when Patrick compared her to his mother. She knew how much he loved, admired, and respected his mother. To her, there was no greater compliment.

He shrugged his shoulders and popped a potato chip in his mouth. "But she always got it all done and we knew she loved having all of our family under her roof. We'd watch football and play games. It was really great."

Robin nodded. "It sounds like it."

As they finished their meal, they swapped more stories of past Thanksgivings. Patrick swallowed the last bit of jerky and then wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"I almost forgot about dessert."

"I'm not sure I have any room left," Robin replied playfully.

Patrick held a finger up to her, as he opened the cooler. "I have a feeling you'll reconsider once you see what it is."

He then pulled out a Fudge Mocha Brownie ice cream bar. Robin's eyes immediately lit up.

"Oh, I definitely have room," she said, as she reached out for it.

Patrick pulled it just out of her reach, as his expression grew abruptly serious and he met her eyes. "I finally figured it out," he said softly.

Robin's forehead creased. "Figured what out?"

"When it started. I told you I've loved you for a long time and tonight I realized when it started."

"When?" Robin asked quietly, unable to remove her eyes from his penetrating gaze.

He slowly licked at his lips. "At the end of the epidemic, after you got the serum and I realized you were going to be okay, you put your hand on my arm and we hugged. As I held you in my arms, I knew nothing had ever felt so right and no one had ever fit so perfectly in them. I felt so relieved that you were going to be all right and I never wanted to let you go. I wanted to hold you forever and protect you from anything that could ever hurt you." He took a deep breath, as tears again began to flow down Robin's face. "But I knew that wasn't possible. I knew that I couldn't protect you from the world. What I could do though is find a way to make you smile. That made me feel like I was doing something. And I knew there was one thing that would never fail to make you smile: a Fudge Mocha Brownie ice cream bar."

Robin smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. She then held a finger up in front of his lips. "There's actually one other thing that never fails to make me smile."

Patrick's lips curled into a grin. "Oh yeah? What's that?"

"You," she whispered, before capturing his lips with hers.

After a few moments she pulled back and met his eyes. "Want to know something else?"

Patrick nodded, as he brought his hand up to brush a stray piece of hair out of her eyes.

Robin tilted her head and said softly, "It started for me the moment you held up that ice cream bar."

Patrick raised his eyebrows, as a smile pulled at the corners of his lips. "Really?"

Robin bobbed her head. "Really. I knew that if you had taken the time to notice the only ice cream bar I like, then I had no choice but to take the time to see the man you really are. And I am so glad I did because you are beyond my wildest dreams and expectations."

Patrick offered her a tiny grin. "Well, look at that. We agree on something. I was just thinking the very same thing about you."

Robin smiled and then turned around in his arms. She leaned her head against his chest, as he wrapped his arms around her petite frame.

After a few moments of quiet bliss, she tilted her head up and looked at him, "Turns out, anything but perfect is pretty damn perfect."

Patrick kissed her forehead, then rested his chin on top of her head. "We're two for two tonight. I couldn't agree more."

**--------------------------------------------THE END--------------------------------------------------**

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought! Happy Thanksgiving! -Steph


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